Atlanta Law School

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Atlanta Law School
Active1890–1994
FounderHooper Alexander, Archibald H. Davis, Hamilton Douglas Sr., and Charles A. Read
Postgraduates 6,000 alumni
Other students
Approved by the Georgia Bar Examiners to issue Juris Doctor and MML Degree
Location
Atlanta
,
Georgia
,
United States

The Atlanta Law School was a private, not for profit night law school for working professionals and others seeking a legal education. The school was born in 1890 from the Southern Medical School legal department (now known as Emory Medical School). Atlanta Law School faculty members were practicing lawyers and judges from across the state of Georgia. The school began in 1890 and specialized in law education geared for criminal and civil law litigation involving all areas of law in the Medical field. In 1941 the mission statement changed to cover all areas of law and closed its doors in 1994 due to legislative changes in Georgia Law that mandated Law School Accreditation to be granted by the American Bar Association effective in 1998 instead of the Georgia Bar Examiners. The main issue with obtaining American Bar Association accreditation for Atlanta Law School and Woodrow Wilson Law School was the American Bar Association mandated the schools to implement a formal law library that required over 150,000 legal publications and books, that the schools could not afford nor had the space for the library. This caused Atlanta Law School, Georgia's third oldest law school to shut its doors.

Contents

In 1941, Georgia and the United States had political unrest with segregation issues and dealing with World War II conflict. Political issues with then Governor Talmadge and the Cocking Affair" caused the Georgia Board of Regents to enter into a unique relationship with Atlanta Law School with being the first public-private school partnership contract in Georgia when the Georgia Board of Regents lost accreditation with all white colleges that included the University of Georgia and Georgia Teachers College (Georgia Southern University). This matter known as the "Cocking Affair" was caused by Georgia Governor Talmadge and his pro-segregation policies that was attempting to keep Georgia white colleges to continue segregation policies. In this matter, Governor Talmadge terminated Board of Regents Board members and Deans of Georgia Colleges to implement his political policies that differed from the national de-segregation policies throughout the United States. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) immediately suspended all accreditation for Georgia's white colleges when Governor Talmadge policies were publicly disclosed. This caused a fall-out with all Georgia medical licensing boards and Georgia Bar Examiners that revoked the ability for students to qualify for licensing board exams. The Georgia Board of Regents immediately entered into a sixty-year partnership with Atlanta Law School and the University of Georgia Law Students to attend classes at Atlanta Law School so they could qualify for a State Bar Exam. In exchange, Atlanta Law School Students had access to University of Georgia Law Library, able to attend some University of Georgia Law School classes, activities and law school lectures. Accreditation was restored to the Board of Regents in 1944.

In 1981, Woodrow Wilson Law School began negations with Georgia State University and the Georgia Borgia Board of Regents to take over Woodrow Wilson Law School and become Georgia State University Woodrow Wilson Law School. After legal negations for several years, approval was granted by the Georgia Board of Regents to take over Woodrow Wilson Law School, however the American Bar Association denied any accreditation with the merger of the two schools due to legal issues and alumni educational standing with Woodrow Wilson being a private law school and Georgia State University being a state accredited university. This caused Georgia State University to start their own law school from scratch and Woodrow Wilson Law School trustees liquidated the school's physical assets and in 1988, Atlanta Law School purchased the intellectual rights of Woodrow Wilson Law School then sold the schools Intellectual Property Rights and Federal Student Loan Account to Atlanta Law School. Atlanta Law School operated under both names, "Atlanta Law School and Woodrow Wilson Law" from 1988 until their closure in 1994. All Atlanta Law School students had until December 1998 to take an Pass the Georgia Bar Exam to practice law in Georgia.

Today, the school continues as a scholarship fund for students who cannot qualify for school funding who otherwise have the opportunity to practice law.

History

In 1890, Hamilton Douglas Sr., Hooper Alexander, Archibald H. Davis, and Charles A. Read, began night law classes for those who were unable to attend law classes during the day. [1] It was incorporated under the laws of the State of Georgia in 1892. [1] [2]

From its founding, the instructors were always engaged in the practice of law, either as practitioners or as judges (sitting or retired). No professional teachers or instructors were engaged in the teaching process throughout the school's history. The character of the school was defined as a "Lawyer's Law School".

In 1988 the State Bar of Georgia modified the requirements for bar admission, allowing only [[American Bar Association [3] ]]-accredited law school graduates to take the bar exam. This rule change affected the three night law schools in Georgia, including Atlanta Law School. [2] Atlanta Law School trustees decided to close the school. The school closed its doors in 1994. [2] Today the school continues as a scholarship fund for those students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to practice law. [4]


Notable alumni

Members of the Georgia judiciary, state legislature, and business owners received their legal training at the school. Atlanta's first female lawyer, Minnie Hale Daniel was a graduate of Atlanta Law School in 1911. [5] Helen Douglas Mankin who would later become Georgia's first woman member of Congress received her LL.B. from Atlanta Law School in 1920. [6] Judge Juanita Marsh attended in the 1940s–50s. [7] Other alumni include former New York City Councilman and Congressional nominee Domenic Recchia, Atlanta trial attorney Don Keenan, Judge David Ray Moore, Judge working in Fayette County Magistrate Court, State Court and Superior Court, former Georgia State Representative Chesley V. Morton, Georgia Supreme Court Justices John E. Frankum, [8] and Charles S. Reid, [9] and U.S. District Court Judge Frank A. Hooper, Jr. (who also taught at the school). [10]

White supremacist lawyer and convicted bomber J. B. Stoner received a law degree from the school in 1952. He went on to defend James Earl Ray [11] and men accused of bombing the home 6-year-old Donal Godfrey.

Notable faculty

The late Hamilton Douglas, Sr., served as dean of the law school. His son Hamilton Douglas, Jr. continued the school until Herschel E Cole became the last dean of the school. Donald W. Gettle served as assistant dean for the last thirty years of the school's existence. [12] Robert E. Cochran, II was named an assistant dean in 1985. The board of trustees included Herschel E. Cole, chairman, Charles W. Allen, Donald W. Gettle, E. Lewis Hansen (1985) Dean Virlin Moore and Dean Wayne C. Pressley were also quite involved throughout the transition of Woodrow Wilson College of Law.

References

  1. 1 2 "Daily Report: 120 Year Anniversary: Moments in 1890". Archived from the original on 2012-06-21. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  2. 1 2 3 "New Georgia Encyclopedia: Legal Profession". Archived from the original on 2012-06-16. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  3. ↑ https://georgiajourneys.kennesaw.edu/items/show/422
  4. ↑ "Scholarships and Waiver Opportunities — Admissions — Georgia State University". Archived from the original on 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  5. ↑ "Atlanta and Its Lawyers: A Century of Vision:1888-1988" ISBN   0-9621443-0-4
  6. ↑ "New Georgia Encyclopedia: Helen Douglas Mankin (1894-1956)". Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  7. ↑ "Sarah Juanita Daniel Marsh, 86, of College Park". The Citizen. February 12, 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  8. ↑ "John Frankum, Former Justice", The Atlanta Constitution (June 9, 1978), p. 5C.
  9. ↑ "Judge Reid Dies in Plunge From 12th Floor After Suit Charges Estate Mismanaged", The Macon Telegraph (November 8, 1947), p. 1.
  10. ↑ "Court of Appeals of Georgia". Gaappeals.us.
  11. ↑ "Stoner, Jesse Benjamin, 1924-2005".
  12. ↑ "Donald Gettle Obituary - Atlanta, GA | Atlanta Journal-Constitution". Legacy.com . Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
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